Surrey School District superintendent made more than half a million dollars last year - BERITAJA

Financial documents show that the superintendent for the Surrey School District makes much than half a cardinal dollars a year.

Surrey is the largest schoolhouse territory successful B.C., pinch much than 83,000 children enrolled. However, it has struggled precocious pinch insufficient classrooms and support, leading to immoderate programs being cut.

The Executive Compensation Disclosure Report for 2024 to 2025 shows that Supt. Mark Pearmain’s compensation was $527,000 past year, including net and benefits.

“For context, that’s doubly arsenic overmuch arsenic Premier David Eby is paid to tally an full province,” Carson Binda pinch the Canadian Taxpayers Federation told BERITAJA.

“It’s acold much than Prime Minister Mark Carney takes location astatine the extremity of the year.”

Deputy Supt. Andrew Holland made $422,000 and HR executive head Linda Radomski was paid $316,000.

Last May, parents and educators successful Surrey launched a nationalist campaign to unit the authorities complete what they opportunity is chronic underfunding successful the district.

The campaign, dubbed “Surrey Students Deserve Better,” urged parents to straight interaction their MLAs to property for accrued backing and much support for students pinch typical needs.

The run based on that the Surrey School District suffered from shortages of acquisition assistants and basal supplies, outdated exertion and cuts to celebrated arts programs.

Tammy Murphy, president of CUPE 728, which represents territory support staff, pointed to reductions successful the StrongStart program and learning centre closures as examples.

She besides pointed retired the number of executives successful the district.

“We’ve sewage 7 adjunct superintendents,” she said astatine the time.

“They support expanding those numbers while the kids astatine the bottommost are hurting. We’ve sewage managers for managers. They’re hiring a head to negociate a manager. We’re getting much group successful doing jobs that aren’t supporting kids.”

B.C.’s acquisition curate did not reply questions about salaries connected Thursday.

“This is simply a section level, these are the questions that should beryllium straight asked to the schoolhouse committee and the schoolhouse committee chair connected what their views are about their section compensation,” Minister Lisa Beare said.

But critics opportunity the sky-high salaries are not acceptable.

“The aforesaid schoolhouse territory gave its elder executives salary raises of 24 to 26 per cent past twelvemonth while besides laying disconnected 50 acquisition assistants,” Binda said.

“Those are folks successful the schoolroom helping teachers and helping students get entree to value education.”